Stabilized reeving for cranes

ABSTRACT

A stabilized reeving system is provided for crane loading and unloading wherein the load suspended from the crane may be trimmed or stabilized for tilt or list.

United States Patent Polen 51 Apr. 4, 1972 STABILIZED REEVING FOR CRANES Karl L. Polen, Alliance, Ohio 7 Assignee: The Alliance Machine Company Filed: Jan. 12, 1970 Appl. No.: 2,256

Inventor:

U.S. Cl ..212/125, 294/67, 294/81 SE Int. Cl. ..B66c 19/00 Field oiSearch ..212/11, 14, 125; 187/1;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1940 Bossart ..187/1 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 189,998 5/1967 U.S.S.R. ..212/14 68,749 9/1969 Germany ..212/125 Komatsu et a1. ..2 1 2/14 Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Mer1e F. Maffei Attorney-Buell, Blenko & Ziesenheim [57] ABSTRACT A stabilized reeving system is provided for crane loading and unloading wherein the load suspended from the crane may be trimmed or stabilized for tilt or list.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEB APR 4 I972 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR Karl L. Folen Xi/41 A114 Pmminm 4 I912 Fig.2.

SHEET 2 [1F 2 Fig INVENTOR Karl L. Polen STABILIZED REEVING FOR CRANES This invention relates to stabilized reeving for cranes and particularly to a crane structure and reeving which permits a load suspended on the crane to be trimmed or stabilized for tilt or list.

A common problem in many types of crane operations and particularly in shipboard container cranes is that of maintaining trim on the object being handled such as a container. For example the list of a ships deck on which a container crane is operated creates a problem of tilting of the containers being handled. Various devices have been used to assist in stabilizing this load without total success.

This invention provides a structure which makes stabilizing or trimming of the load much easier and more attainable. Preferably there is provided a trolley operating on an overhead track system, a cable drum on said trolley having at least one pair of depending cables for extension and contraction by rotation of the drum, a pair of sheaves spaced on either side of the drum on the trolley on axis parallel to the drum axis and substantially equally distant from the base line of the depending cables, a lift beam suspended below said trolley on said cables, said beam having a pair of spaced apart sheaves geared together so as to rotate in opposite directions, each of said cablespassing from the cable drum around one of the sheaves on the beam then around the sheave on the trolley and being dead ended on'the beam intermediate the axes of the sheaves on the beam and trim actuator means acting on one of the cable ends and the trolley mounted sheaves whereby the load angle is adjusted. Preferably, the trim actuator means is a hydraulic cylinder, however it may be an electrical or mechanical adjusting means such as an electrical driven screw. The beam sheaves may be geared directly together or they may be connected by an intermediate gear train.

In the foregoing general description, certain objects, purposes and advantages of this invention have been set out. Other objects, purposes and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a trolley crane embodying one form of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the reeving of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a reeving according to a second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a reeving according to a third embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a fourth embodiment of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 have illustrated an overhead trackway carrying a trolley 11. Trolley 11 carries a cable drum 12 on which at least one pair of cables 13 and 14 is mounted at each end. One end of each of cables 13 and 14 is fixed or dead ended on the drum 12. The other end of cable 13 passes downwardly around a sheave 16 on a lift beam then upwardly over a sheave 17 on trolley 11 and then back down to a trim actuator 18 fixed to the center point of beam 15. The other end of cable 14 passes downwardly around a sheave 19 on lift beam 15 then upwardly and over a sheave 20 on trolley 11 and then down to a trim actuator 21 fixed to the center point of beam 15. Each of sheaves 16 and 19 are provided with gears 26 and 29 respectively which engage each other so that rotation of one sheave induces rotation of the other.

The operation of the devices is as follows. The appropriate trim actuator 18 or 21 is actuated by the operator of the crane. This changes the length of the corresponding cable and causes the corresponding sheave to rotate which rotates the other sheave through its geared connection. This shifts the position of beam 15 and the load carried by it into trim for raising and lowering into a ships hold.

The structure of the second embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, is essentially the same as that of FIGS. 1 and 2 and like pans bear like numbers with the suffix a. The only difference is the introduction of a pair of intermediate gears 27 and 28 between gears 26a and 29a thus permitting the axes of sheaves 16a and 19a to be spaced further apart on the beam 15a. The operation of the system is the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 IS again essentially the same as that of FIGS. 1 and 2 and like parts bear like numbers with the suffix b. Here the only difference between the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2 lies in the placement of the trim actuators 24 and on the axes of sheaves 17b and 20b and the dead ending of the ends of cables 13b and 14b onto the center of the beam 15b and the omission of trim actuators l8 and 21 on the beam. The system of FIG. 4 operates the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 5 I have illustrated a fonn of my invention generally the same as FIG. 2 but with the trolley sheaves 17c and 20c mounted in bearing blocks 50 and 51 slidable in guide slots 52 and 53 in the trolley frame. The bearing blocks are threaded on opposite ends of a shaft 54 threaded with opposite threads at the two ends and driven by a drive motor 55 so as to move the sheaves apart or together as desired. This provides a broad base when moving rapidly above the ship hold and a narrow base when the container and frame is in the ships hold. This reduces the problem of swaying. The bearing blocks could be moved by a fluid cylinder and piston or any other known means.

While certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described in the foregoing specification it will be obvious that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A stabilized reeving system for overhead cranes comprising a cable drum mounted for rotation on said crane, at least one pair of cables having one end fixed to said drum and the other ends depending therefrom, a lift beam spaced below said crane, a pair of sheaves spaced on either side of said cable drum on said crane and substantially equidistant from the base line of the depending cables, a pair of spaced apart sheaves on the beam geared together to rotate only in opposite directions, the other ends of said cables passing from the cable drum around one of the sheaves on the beam then around a sheave on the crane and being dead ended on the beam intermediate the axes of the sheaves on the beam and trim actuator means for adjusting the length of the cable acting on one of the cable dead ends and the crane mounted sheaves whereby the beam angle is adjusted.

2. A stabilized reeving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the trim actuator means is connected between the cable dead ends and the center point of the beam.

3. A stabilized reeving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the trim actuator means is mounted on the axes of the crane sheaves to move the sheaves vertically with respect to the crane.

4. A stabilized reeving system for overhead cranes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crane sheaves are mounted for movement toward and away from each other and means are provided for simultaneously moving said sheaves.

5. A stabilized reeving system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for simultaneously moving said sheaves in a shaft having opposite threads at its two ends threaded through a carrier for said sheaves whereby rotation of the shaft moves the sheaves simultaneously toward or away from each other. 

1. A stabilized reeving system for overhead cranes comprising a cable drum mounted for rotation on said crane, at least one pair of cables having one end fixed to said drum and the other ends depending therefrom, a lift beam spaced below said crane, a pair of sheaves spaced on either side of said cable drum on said crane and substantially equidistant from the base line of the depending cables, a pair of spaced apart sheaves on the beam geared together to rotate only in opposite directions, the other ends of said cables passing from the cable drum around one of the sheaves on the beam then around a sheave on the crane and being dead ended on the beam intermediate the axes of the sheaves on the beam and trim actuator means for adjusting the length of the cable acting on one of the cable dead ends and the crane mounted sheaves whereby the beam angle is adjusted.
 2. A stabilized reeving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the trim actuator means is connected between the cable dead ends and the center point of the beam.
 3. A stabilized reeving system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the trim actuator means is mounted on the axes of the crane sheaves to move the sheaves vertically with respect to the crane.
 4. A stabilized reeving system for overhead cranes as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crane sheaves are mounted for movement toward and away from each other and means are provided for simultaneously moving said sheaves.
 5. A stabilized reeving system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for simultAneously moving said sheaves in a shaft having opposite threads at its two ends threaded through a carrier for said sheaves whereby rotation of the shaft moves the sheaves simultaneously toward or away from each other. 